IBVM International
Internationality and Leadership: The union of minds and hearts
The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Loreto Branch, is a world wide organisation of women, following the guidelines (the Constitutions) prepared by Ignatius of Loyola for his followers.
The Irish (Loreto) Branch, established by Mary Teresa Ball in 1822, expanded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Loreto Sisters moved out to various countries where communities are still found today: India (1841), Mauritius (1845) and Gibraltar (1845: now part of the Irish Province ), England (1851), Australia (1875), South Africa (1877), Spain (1889), Kenya (1921: now referred to as Eastern Africa and incorporating a community in Tanzania ), Arizona in the United States (1954) and Peru (1981). The most recent move 'off-shore' has been from Spain. A small company of sisters have established a community in Asilah, Morocco, where they live among the people: a Christian presence in a Muslim world.
The North American Branch originated from Rathfarnam (Loreto) in 1847, in response to a request for sisters from the bishop of Toronto in Canada. By 1880, this mission had extended to Joilet, Illinois, in the United States. Circumstances made it expedient to seperate from Ireland and in 1881, a new Generalate was established.
In Canada , the sisters are concentrated in the province of Ontario, especially in the Toronto area; in Guelph, Niagara and the province of Saskatchewan. In the United States, the centre of activity is Illinois , most notably in Chicago , Calumet City and Joilet. There is also a strong representation of sisters and their affiliates in the Sacramento and Carmichael areas of California as well as in Phoenix, Arizona.
In September 2003, the North American Branch was reunited with the Irish Loreto Sisters, forming one Loreto Branch, administered from the one Generalate in Rome. The reunification process began in 1995 and what followed was a period of study, discussion, prayer and discernment as well as a celebration of interconnection, joy, recognition, gratitude, mutual support and new life. The work of the reunion continues today with the revision of our Constitutions - a reunion commitment. Read more.
In 2002, the Loreto Sisters embarked on the Courage to Move mission - a calling to the whole Institute to rediscover its missionary roots, going back to St Ignatius, Mary Ward, Teresa Ball and the wonderful women who set out by boat to plant the Institute in far off places. The Institute is now alive and active in Ecuador (June 2004), Seychelles (October 2004), Ghana (January 2005), Bangladesh (July 2005), Albania (September 2005), East Timor (February 2006), Zambia (March 2006) and Southern Sudan (March 2006).
There is an international leadership team and national groupings called provinces. Within each province, there are local communities, with a local leader. Sisters can be asked to live and work in any state within each province.
The responsibility of the international leader and team is primarily to promote the "union of hearts and minds" across very diverse provinces and to appoint province leaders after consultation with the sisters in particular provinces. They seek to ensure that provinces with less access to material resources are given the opportunities to develop the talents of their women so they can make a real differences within their own countries. They can call sisters to a ministry in a province beyond their own, if the need is clear. The General Council's task is to give a leadership that unites in hope and service of the wider church and world. In this they are helped by a meeting, now held every eight years, where representatives from every province gather to elect this team and to consider priorities or directions for the future.
General Superior: Sr Marian Moriarty (pictured left)
General Consultors: Sr Carmen Diston (Canada), Barbara Murphy (Ireland), Sandra Perrett (Australia), Beatrice Stuart (India).
Australian Leadership
The province leader and her team carry similar responsibilities at the national level. As well as overseeing the placement of personnel (which is done in dialogue with the sisters concerned), they seek to provide opportunities for the growth of communities across the province, supporting local leaders and communities through meetings and visits. They develop policies on issues that have emerged at province assemblies, when sisters from across the province meet to reflect and to plan. They are the trustees for the property and finance and take the final responsibility in major decisions affecting Loreto schools.
Loreto at the Local Level
Local communities often live in a number of houses scattered across the province. The present pattern is for sisters to live in households which vary from single person (where ministry or some other cause requires it), to smaller houses of two or three and larger groupings. All small households are linked quite closely with others to form a larger community that gathers for reflection on major issues, for prayer, celebration and mutual support. Each person is responsible for promoting community and seeking ways for her own and the community's greater development. The community leader is the focus of unity, and provides a communication point with the wider province.
Australian Leadership Team
Christine Burke, Elizabeth Hepburn, Wendy Hildebrand, Anne McPhee, and
Francine Roberts.
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